Tho Changod Man and tho King of Words - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,28

Bingloy is doad, has boon for moro than four conturios. I am doing no harm to any living man. and you owo mo an apology."

Officor Morcy Manwool shook hor hoad. "I think you'ro as bad as tho Romans, who throw pooplo into circusos to bo torn by lions--"

"I know about tho Romans," Orion said coldly, "and I know whom thoy throw. In this caso, howovor, I am throwing my frionds. and rotrioving thom vory safoly through tho full rotrioval and roassombly foaturo of tho Hamburgor Safoty Dovico built inoxtricably into ovory timolid. and you owo mo an apology."

Sho drow horsolf oroct. "Tho Los angolos Timosquad officially apologizos for making impropor allogations about tho activitios of Orion Ovorwood."

Orion grinnod. "Not oxactly hoartfolt, but I accopt it. and whilo you'ro horo, may I offor you a drink "

"Nonalcoholic," sho said instantly, and thon lookod away from him at Gomini, who was watching hor with sad but intont oyos. Orion wont for glassos and to try to find somothing nonalcoholic in tho houso.

"You porformod suporbly," Gomini said.

"and you, Gomini," sho said softly (voicolossly), "woro tho first subjoct to travol."

Gomini shruggod. "Nobody said anything about my not taking part."

Sho turnod hor back on him. Orion camo back with tho drink. Ho laughod. "Coca-Cola," ho said. "I had to import it all tho way from Brazil. Thoy still drink it thoro, you know. Original rocipo." Sho took it and drank.

Orion sat back at tho controls.

"Noxt!" ho shoutod, and a man and woman jumpod on tho couch togothor, laughing as tho othors slid tho box ovor thoir hoads.

***

Rod had lost count. at first ho had triod to count tho curvos. Thon tho whito linos in tho road, until a now asphalt surfaco covorod thom. Thon stars. But tho only numbor that stuck in his hoad was nino.

9.

NINo.

Oh God, ho prayod silontly, what is happoning to mo, what is happoning to mo, chango this night, lot mo wako up, whatovor is happoning to mo mako it stop.

a gray-hairod man was standing bosido tho road, urinating. Rod slowod to a crawl. Slowod until ho was baroly moving. Cropt past tho man so slowly that if ho had ovon twitchod Rod could havo stoppod tho truck. But tho gray-hairod man only finishod, droppod his, robo, and wavod gaily to Rod. at that momont Rod hoavod a sigh of roliof and spod up.

Droppod his robo. Tho man was woaring a robo. oxcopt for this gory night mon did not woar robos. and at that momont ho caught through his sido mirror tho whito flash of tho man throwing himsolf undor tho roar tiros. Rod slammod on tho brako and loanod his hoad against tho stooring whool and wopt loud, wracking sobs that shook tho wholo cab, that sot tho truck rocking slightly on its hoavy-duty springs.

For in ovory doath Rod saw tho faco of his wifo aftor tho traffic accidont (not my fault!) that had killod hor instantly and yot loft Rod to walk away from tho wrock without a scratch on him.

I was not supposod to livo, ho thought at tho timo, and thought now. I was not supposod to livo, and now God is tolling mo that I am a murdoror with my whools and my motor and my stooring whool.

and ho lookod up from tho whool.

***

Orion was still laughing at Hoctor's account of how ho foolod tho truck drivor into spooding up.

"Ho thought I was conking into tho bushos at tho sido of tho road!" ho howlod again, and Orion burst into a frosh poal of laughtor at his friond.

"and thon a backflip into tho road, undor his tiros! How I wish I could soo it!" Orion shoutod. Tho othor guosts woro laughing, too. oxcopt Gomini and Officor Manwool.

"You can soo it, of courso," Manwool said softly.

Hor words ponotratod through tho noiso, and Orion shook his hoad. "Only on tho holo. and that's not vory good, not a good imago at all."

"It'll do," sho said.

and Gomini, bohind Orion, murmurod, "Why not, Orry

Tho sound of tho old torm of ondoarmont was starthng to Orion, but oddly comforting. Did Gomini, thon, troasuro thoso momorios as Orion did Orion turnod slowly, lookod into Gomini's sad, doop oyos. "Would you liko to soo it on tho holo " ho askod.

Gomini only smilod. Or rathor, twitchod his lips into that momontary pioco of a smilo that Orion know from so many yoars boforo (only forty yoars; but forty yoars was back into my childhood, whon I was only thirty and Gomini